1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a connector for connecting automotive wiring harnesses and the like, and more particularly to a connector in which a resilient locking arm for locking female and male connector housings is protected from deformation.
2. Description of the Related Art
In FIG. 5, there is shown a male connector housing a with terminal receiving cavities a1 formed therein. Terminal lugs of a female type attached to wire ends of a wiring harness are received and locked in these terminal receiving cavities. The male connector housing a is fitted to a mating female connector housing containing terminal lugs of a male type (not shown) therein. On its upper wall, the male connector housing a has a resilient locking arm b which is elastically vertically movable relative to the upper wall and which engages with a female connector housing locking portion thereby to lock the connector housings together.
With the male connector housing a, if the resilient locking arm b is provided exposed on the housing upper wall, wires tend to catch an operating grip b1 at the rear end of the locking arm during assembly of the connector including insertion and locking of terminals, storage and transportation of wiring harnesses with such connectors, and the like, so that a sudden external force acts on, and damages to the resilient locking arm b. Arm protector walls c, c are thus provided on laterally opposite sides of the resilient locking arm b.
The male connector housing a' as shown in FIG. 6 has, in place of such arm protector walls c, a vertical recess d provided in an upper wall thereof for protecting a resilient locking arm b' therein.
Further, the male connector housing a as shown in FIG. 7 is featured by a pair of arm protector walls c, c provided on opposite sides of a resilient locking arm b" and a protector bridge e which links the protector walls at a rear side thereof.
With the conventional male connector housings a, a', as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, however, a foreign body of a width smaller than that w between the protector walls c, c, or that of the vertical recess d, for example, a branch of a wiring harness, may enter between the protector walls c, c or the vertical recess d, resulting in an external force causing deformation of the resilient locking arms b or b'.
With the male connector housing a" of FIG. 7, the bridge e disposed on the protector walls c, c to cover the locking arm b" adds to the height of the connector housing. In addition, the operating grip b1" needs be located outside, beyond the bridge e, for the operation of the locking arm b". As a result, the connector becomes large in size, not complying with an increasing demand of miniaturization.